Taurus/Sable Maintenance & Repair

Comments

Sometimes when I start from a stop light, I hear and feel a bang under the area of the front seats. The car is a 1993 Sable 3.8 L.Any ideas others than taking it to a mechanic?I have checked underneath and can't see any obvious problem.

i have a 98 taurus and my bright light indicator light on my instrument panel does not work. the bulb is good. the only other thing i can guess would be the dimmer switch must have a flaw.. can anyone help me??

:confuse: Is 14 MPG normal to for a 2001 Tauras with 38,000 miles? For the most part, it is suburban type of driving. Currently there are no errors from the diagnostic port. Is it possible to have an issue with the transmission?

I recently purchased an outstanding 94 Sable. Everything is great working order but I have noticed a problem in that the car does not slow when the accelorater is released. The RPMs will slowly drop and the car will gradually slow. On several occasions when I put the car in gear it would speed up as if it had fast idle. The idle is 900 when in neutral and drops off when rev'ed and released. The problem only appears to be when in gear.

I had the same problem. Transaxle light kept coming on for our 2000 Taurus Wagon SE (Duratec) during HWY driving at speeds excess of 60 during the summer months. Couldn't get light to stay on for diagnoses. Then at 110,000 total failure. Cost 2200 to 2600. My advice. Get light to come on and drive to dealer/service immediately for diagnosis. Also, don't drive long distances with light on.

I had the same problem it was a transmission sensor, I can't remember which one but it cost around 16.00, I suspect you had a used transmission installed as I did. This sensor had been recalled on the original transmission.

2000Tari, 62Kmiles, Vulcan, starting to ping [uses only 87 octane major brands fuel] and mpg reduced by approximately one third. Seeking to elimanate the ping and reclaim the lost mpg. Dlrs suggest $450/500 oxygen sensors work. I am of the old school which says change the plugs and wires. What say you?Thanks in advance for your expressed concern.">

I have a 2005 Taurus and I have a clunking sound coming from the rear of the car when going over certain dips in the road however it only happens on certain roads i've had the car checked by 2 different dealerships and still theres nothing they can find, they checked my suspension and test drove the car both times they say everything is normal and they cant duplicate anything? Has anyone experienced this before?

I have a '99 Taurus with 96K on it. For the last 25K or so it will NOT turn over on the first attempt...regardless of season or outside temperature...I live in WI. It will, however, turn over every time on the second go 'round with a light tap of the gas pedal...any thoughts where to start??

The only thing I have done is a fuel filter replacement about a year ago...didn't do anything!

Thanks for the reply alcan. It is the ignition. The manual refers me to the air bag safety section, which says to disconnect the positive and negative terminal. I can't see how changing the ignition lock cylinder would accidently set off the airbag.Alan

Usually a good idea to disconnect battery negative when doing any electrical related repairs. Ignition lock replacement requires the key to be turned to the On position before the cylinder can be removed, after which it can't be turned off until the new cylinder is installed.

I changed the lock cylinder but now the door alarm goes when I open the door whether the key is in the ignition or not. I bought the part at Canadian Tire and was wondering if it is an inferior product?Alan

I have a 1995 Taurus, (3.0L) with 185k highway commuter miles. The AC compressor is whining and has seized on occasion. I'd like to replace this myself. What are the steps to do this. The shop wants $960 to replace it. Over $600 is labor. Now I know why when I look at this.

The car is still useful as a commuter car as I have taken care of it over the years, but it isn't worth paying almost a grand to repair.ThanksSCM1977

of the gas would be your biggest problem. By law you must hook your car up to a ref. recovery machine and remove the old gas. You also need to be certified to do so. When replaced the system must be put into a vacuum and then recharged. The rest of the job is really quite easy.

Sorry, I don't have an answer for you, but I have a '00 Sable and it has 99K..and it has had the same problem for the last 30k miles or so.....dealership says nothing is wrong...but it only starts on the second try, so let me know if you figure it out..

I have a 2001 Taurus Se that gets a really stinky odor every Autumn and winter. During the Summer and when the AC is on all day everything is OK but when I use the air vents on a cool day or turn on the heat the car smells like stinky socks.

I have changed the hepa filter under the hood cowling and checked for leaks and found nothing. It's now getting coller again and I noticed that same odor today.

I have an 86 Taurus with 310,000 miles on the original 3.0 V6, bought it with 49,000 miles in 1992. Last week it would not start--seemed like it was out of gas, not a dead battery. The next day, it started fine, but idled too high, then dropped to a chug-chug-chug and stalled. That is all it will do now. It starts fine, runs bad for about 30 seconds, and dies. Today, a friend asked me if I had had the timing checked lately. Get this--I have never changed a timing belt/chain on this car at ALL. I can't believe I have let this go, but this car has never given trouble at all besides a tranny replacement at 70k.

My question is this--Is it a timing belt or chain? Also--Is the replace interval 60k or 90k like most any other car? And the inevitable question, how much, ballpark, will it cost? Like most other Tauri nearing 20 years old I figure I have a car worth maybe $300, but it has been way too good to let go.

Could it possibly be a different problem? I will note that the temperature gauge indicates that the car is running cold at all times, plus it has no heat. Thermostat, perhaps?

Tauri have never had any V-6 engines that had a timing belt, except maybe some of the SHO versions, but you obviously do not have one of those. Timing belts are more prevalent in the import brands, and even they are finally moving to timing chains as well. TIming chains generally last the life of the car, which in your case me be about now!

With a car your age and mileage, it could be any number of problems, like bad fuel pump, plugged fuel filter, some electrical problem in the ignition system, etc, etc.

It probably is not a timing problem, as there is to my knowledge no timing adjustment available, it is all electronic, even in a car this old.

With a stuck open thermostat, you could have fouled spark plugs as well, as the engine is running much too cold for efficient combustion. Could be all kinds of things in the fuel system gummed up as well.

I think you may want to actually break down an spend at least enough on it to get a professional diagnosis, then decide if you want to spend the bucks for repairs.

It is a very high mileage car and could easily become a money pit. You could probably pick up another Taurus 10-15 years newer and with much less miles for not a lot of money, so it likely does not pay to put too much into it.

I replaced the ignition lock cylinder in my 93 Sable, and posted a message earlier stating that the door alarm now sounded with the key out. It has now stopped alarming, and I was wondering if the computer had to "learn" that there was a new lock cylinder installed?

I actually bought a(n) SHO new in 1993 because I liked my 86 so much, but it was the most horrible car I have ever owned. I replaced the auto trans twice and the starter three times in the 70000 (2 and a half years) miles I had it. Of course all was covered under warranty and I did not abuse the car, but it left me stranded several times.

Here is what I plan to do to the 86, one part at a time. Checked compression this morning--it is fine.-thermostat-new plugs and wires-EGR valve-fuel system/intake system cleaning

I am just going to take it step by step. I have two spare engines, so I am not hurting for parts. I can do most of the work myself, so I won't sink anything but time into it, and it IS for the most part, my back up car, so it's not an issue of convenience.